Carved wooden salmon makes a splash in sale

An impressive carved and painted wooden salmon attracted a huge amount of interest in Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne Spring collectors sale.

This ‘half block’ carved salmon, 148cm long, was made by the Fochaber Studio, probably by John Tully. It was made for Dr E T Fison in October 1922 after catching the mighty 51lb fish at Norham on Tweed and it was retailed by Forrest & Sons of Kelso. Never formerly seen outside the Fison family, it had passed through the family to his descendant who offered it for sale.

It attracted a huge number of enquiries prior to the sale and, after a feverish bidding battle, the fabulous fish was purchased for a hammer of £17,000 by the owners of the estate where the fish was originally caught.

Simon Jones of Lawrences said, “This was an amazing find and a great story. The fish came from a routine home visit in South Somerset and it is amazing to see this going home to the very place where it was caught a century ago. It now has pride of place in the owner’s boathouse next to the pool where it was caught. The new owner has supplied photos to show the fish back where it best belongs.”